"point at which the moon is farthest from the earth," 1590s, from French apogée, from Latin apogaeum, from Greek apogaion, neuter adjective, "away from the earth," a term from Ptolemaic astronomy, from apo "off, away" (see apo-) + gaia/ge "earth" (see Gaia). Adjective forms are apogeal, apogean.